The present invention relates to the use of nitrogen-containing complexing agents for deodorization and antimicrobial treatment of the skin and of textile fibre materials.
It is known that various nitrogen-containing complexing agents, for example ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), xcex2-alaninediacetic acid (EDETA) or ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS) are widely employed in domestic detergents because of their complexing properties.
Surprisingly, it has been found that certain nitrogen-containing complexing agents also have an antimicrobial action against Gram-positive bacteria and are therefore particularly suitable for deodorization and antimicrobial treatment of the human skin and of textile fibre materials.
The present invention therefore relates to the use of nitrogen-containing complexing agents for antimicrobial treatment of the skin and of textile fibre materials.
Compounds which are preferably used according to the invention as complexing agents are those of the formula 
in which
Q1, is Carb1; Carb2,; or a radical of the formula xe2x80x94(CH2)m1xe2x80x94OH;
Q2 is hydrogen or Carb2; and
Q3 is Carb3; an amino acid radical; or a radical of the formula 
where Carb1, Carb2 and Carb3 independently of one another are the radical of a C1-C8-mono- or dicarboxylic acid; and
m1 is 1 to 5.
Compounds which are particularly preferred here are those of the formula (1) in which the amino acid radical Q3 has the formula 
and especially compounds of the formula (1) in which
Q1 is a monocarboxylic acid; or a radical of the formula xe2x80x94(CH2)m1xe2x80x94OH;
Q2 is hydrogen or a monocarboxylic acid; and
Q3 is formula (1b); or a monocarboxylic acid.
Complexing agents which are of particular interest are those of the formula (1) in which Carb2 and Carb3, independently of one another are the radical of the formula
xe2x80x94[(CH2)]n1xe2x80x94COOH,xe2x80x83xe2x80x83(1c )
in which
n1 is 0 to 5.
Complexing agents which are important in practice have the formula 
or the formula 
Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) is furthermore suitable as the complexing agent.
Other examples of complexing agents which can be employed according to the invention are aminotrimethylenephosphoric acid (ATMP) of the formula 
serinediacetic acid (SDA) of the formula 
asparaginediacetic acid of the formula 
methylglycinediacetic acid (MGDA) of the formula (7) 
The nitrogen-containing complexing agents employed according to the invention can be employed not only as the acid but also in the form of the water-soluble salts, preferably as lithium, sodium, potassium, ammonium and ethanolammonium salts.
Ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS) of the formula (2) has two asymmetric carbon atoms. Various stereoisomeric forms of this compound are therefore possible. The (S,S) configuration of EDDS has the formula 
An inexpensive chemical synthesis leads to a mixture of the three forms S,S; R,R; and meso-EDDS. However, separation of these stereoisomeric compounds requires a high industrial expenditure. Optically pure (S,S)-EDDS can be prepared with the aid of an Actinomycetes strain (T. Nishikiori et al., Production by Actinomycetes of (S,S)-N,Nxe2x80x2-ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid, an inhibitor of phospholipase c; J.Antibiotics 37, 426-427 (1984)).
The purely chemical preparation of the compound of the formula (9) is carried out in a manner known per se, such as is described, for example, by J. A. Neal, N. Rose in Inorganic Chemistry,7, 2405 (1985).
Racemic EDDS can be prepared in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,635.
The complexing agents according to the invention show a pronounced bacteriostatic action, in particular against Gram-positive bacteria of the skin flora, for example Corynebacterium xerosis (bacteria which causes body odour). They are therefore particularly suitable as the antimicrobial active substance in body care compositions, for example soaps, shampoos, foot care products and, in particular, deodorants, as well as an additive in detergents.
The invention therefore also relates to a body care composition comprising at least one nitrogen-containing complexing agent and carriers or auxiliaries which are tolerated in comsetics.
The body care composition according to the invention comprises 0.01 to 15, preferably 0.5 to 10, % by weight, based on the total weight of the composition, of a nitrogen-containing complexing agent and auxiliaries which are tolerated in cosmetics.
Depending on the form in which the body care composition is present, it also comprises, in addition to the complexing agent, other constituents, for example sequestering agents, dyes, perfume oils, thickeners or consolidating agents (consistency regulators), emmollients, UV absorbers, skin protection agents, antioxidants, additives which improve the mechanical properties, such as dicarboxylic acids and/or Al, Zn, Ca, or Mg salts of C14-C22 fatty acids, and, if appropriate, preservatives.
Because of their good water-solubility, the complexing agents according to the invention can be incorporated into the corresponding formulations without problems.
The body care compositions according to the invention can be formulated as a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion, as alcoholic or alcohol containing formulation, as a vesicular dispersion of an ionic or nonionic amphiphilic lipid, as a gel or solid stick or as an aerosol formulation.
As a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion, the auxiliary which is tolerated in cosmetics preferably comprises 5 to 50% of an oily phase, 5 to 20% of an emulsifier and 30 to 90% of water. The oily phase can comprise any oil suitable for cosmetic formulations, for example one or more hydrocarbon oils, a wax, a naturally occurring oil, a silicone oil, a fatty acid ester or a fatty alcohol. Preferred mono- or polyols are ethanol, isopropanol, propylene glycol, hexylene glycol, glycerol and sorbitol.
An anitmicrobial soap has, for example, the following composition:
0.01 to 5% by weight of the compound of the formula (2)
0.3 to 1% by weight of titanium dioxide
1 to 10% by weight of stearic acid
to 100% of soap base, for example the sodium slats of tallow fatty and coconut fatty acid or glycerols.
A shampoo has, for example, the following composition:
0.01 to 5% by weight of the compound of the formula (2),
12.0% by weight of sodium laureth-2-sulfate,
4.0% by weight of cocamidopropylbetaine,
3.0% by weight of NaCl and
water to 100%.
A deodorant has, for example, the following composition:
0.01 to 5% by weight of the compound of the formula (2),
60% by weight of ethanol,
0.3% by weight of perfume oil and
water to 100%.
The complexing agents according to the invention are furthermore suitable for the treatment of textile fibre materials. The fibre materials are non-dyed and dyed or printed fibre materials, for example of silk, leather, wool, polyamide or polyurethanes, and in particular all types of cellulosic fibre materials. Such fibre materials are, for example, naturally occurring cellulosic fibres, such as cotton, linen, jute and hemp, and cellulose and regenerated cellulose. Textile fibre materials which are preferably suitable are those of cotton.